This month, we explore the wheat-growing country of eastern Washington, where locals are working to restore the once-flourishing grasslands of the Palouse Prairie. We also visit an Alaska Native community on the Yukon River whose residents are determined to preserve their cultural traditions despite a seven-year ban on fishing for chinook. In Arizona, the Apache trout is recovering, largely due to the tireless efforts of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. Skagit County, Washington, is divided over how much agritourism is too much. Can New Mexico’s riverside bosque survive rising temperatures and drought? Wildfire survivors in California find healing by spending time among trees. Climate change, with its intensifying heat waves, winter storms and wildfires, is bound to start affecting electric bills. People in Carnation, Washington, are worried about the nearby Tolt Dam’s early warning system. Today’s quinceañeras are not your grandmother’s 15th birthday celebrations. Pam Houston tackles abortion in a new book, and a formerly rural Alaska Native searches for blueberries in the city.
Fish camp in Alaska – without the fish
Yukon River communities fight to maintain their salmon fishing traditions.
Your lawn could host an endangered ecosystem
In the effort to restore the Palouse Prairie, no project is too small.
How the climate is changing your energy bill
Wildfires and winter storms are costing utilities and families.
Tolt River Dam false alarms prompt worry and distrust
The town of Carnation has declared a state of emergency and is threatening dam managers with a lawsuit.
Forest therapy for wildfire survivors
Spending time in the woods can help wildfire survivors recover.
The future of New Mexico’s beloved bosque
In a warmer, drier climate, restoration has its limits.
In Washington’s Yakima Valley, quinceañeras connect people and place
Teens are making the tradition their own with high-top sneakers, glowing dresses and Tiktok dances.
Tenis, vestidos brillantes, y bailes de TikTok
En el Valle de Yakima, las jóvenes hacen suya la tradición quinceañera.
The search for a taste of home in a new place
After a move from rural to urban Alaska, a writer hunts for the blueberries that nourish her family, body and spirit.
Where does the horse come from?
A poem by Blas Falconer.
‘Music gives voice to the soul directly’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
There’s a long journey ahead, no matter who wins
Conserve your energy and focus on doing the least harm.
Lovesick elk, flamingo fathers, Frankensheep and Bach for bison
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Remembering a remarkable environmental journalist
Bob Jones’ pioneering reporting spanned the West and the world.
Letters to the Editor, November 2024
Comments from readers.
Is a farm that hosts weddings still a farm?
Agritourism divides a rural Washington county.
Pam Houston has things to say about abortion
The author’s new book is an unflinching treatise on Roe v. Wade and life post-Dobbs.
After half a century, the Apache trout swims off the threatened species list
Arizona’s state fish is doing well but faces a daunting future.